God Creates; Humans Sin - Genesis 3:8-17, 22-24

We must confess that we do not always live as god intends for us to live. When we willfully turn “from God as the center of life and (make) our own selves and our own wills the center,” we sin, and we alienate ourselves from God. Sin results in separation from God, separation from other people, separation from the created order, and separation from ourselves.

This story of the first couple and the first sins is archetypal, a pattern repeated many times in the Bible. First, an opportunity to violate God’s commands (temptation) seems a good thing. Then the violation occurs (sin) with short-term pleasure. The consequences of breaking God’s laws (punishment) that follow bring regret (repentance). But people don’t seem to learn!

begins a different style of presentation. Up until this point, the book has been largely narrative in format (a story told by a narrator). But in we encounter a drama (a story told through the dialogue of the characters). By the time we arrive at today’s lesson text, two characters have already spoken: the serpent and the woman.

Earlier in , the serpent used the fruit to entice the woman by its visual appeal and the promise of wisdom. She are and then shared her sin with her husband. So he ended up being a willing accomplice. Immediately they were overcome with shame and attempted to cover their nakedness with makeshift fig-leaf garments. Covering their nakedness was not enough, thought, so when their regular time with the Lord God arrived, they attempted to hide.

Confrontation -

Genesis 3:8–13 NRSV

They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”

In verse 8, our picture of what the garden looks like is far from complete. But we get a small insight here when we learn that the man and his wife in their shame attempt to hide from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. It is reasonable to infer that the two humans find what they think is enough foliage to block the Lord’s view, while still being close enough to a path to be able to hear God.

In verse 9, the Lord arrives at the customary meeting place, but his two human creations are not present. The Lord’s question Where are you? does not indicate a lack of knowledge on his part; he is not fooled by the clumsy attempt to hide. His question, rather, is an invitation to meet. It’s been said that God’s search for people is a unique feature of Christianity, inherited from Judaism. In other religions, man searches for God.

Our “sanctified imaginations” tell us that the Lord’s Where are you? pierces the hearts of the couple as it has the effect of asking “Why are you hiding?” or, even more so. “What have you done?” The Lord’s question implies an accusation of guilt, a conviction of sin.

God does not hesitate to show us our sins. He shatters delusions that ungodly behavior is acceptable or inevitable. As the Lord’s question pierces the hearts of Adam and Eve, so it pierces ours as well. Centuries later, David will acknowledge the impossibility of hiding from God (). Whether Adam fully realizes this truth in his day, we are obligated to realize that fact fully. But what we hold as truth in terms of “head knowledge,” we do not always model in practice. We cannot hide from God, yet we do try.

But what we hold as truth in terms of “head knowledge,” we do not always model in practice. We cannot hide from God, yet we do try.

What guardrails can you (and have you) put in place to help ensure that you don’t try to hide from God?

In verse 10, Adam, within earshot of the Lord’s summons, does not simply come forth and say, “Here I am”. Instead, he explains his hiding in an attempt to excuse it. The explanation is true but misleading. Yes, Adam had been naked (), and his fear is self-evident in the fact that he has attempted to hide. He offers an explanation of the latter as being due to the former, but the explanation doesn’t hold water as we realize that his nakedness hasn’t resulted in hiding before now. He is afraid because of his disobedience.

The audacity and stupidity of the sin is amazing. As far as we know, there was only one rule in the Garden of Eden: don’t eat the fruit of one special tree (). Adam and Eve, given spectacular freedom from rules and laws, managed to break this one command.

Again, the questioning by the Lord does not indicate a lack of knowledge on his part. He knows what has happened. But he gives Adam a chance to confess his sin. He does this in a way that confronts Adam with the obvious as God says in effect, “Let’s talk about your discomfort with being naked. You didn’t feel this way yesterday when we met. What changed? Did you eat the forbidden fruit? That would do it.”

When confronted, Adam seems to realize there is no hiding his sin. “Yes, Lord, I ate the forbidden fruit, but I regret it deeply. Please forgive me.” Instead, Adam attempts to dodge his guilt by redirecting the blame. Adam points the finger of guilt in two directions. First he points that finger toward his beloved wife. Then in the same breath Adam indicts the Lord as well with the phrase the woman you put here with me. Adam’s admission I ate it comes with no acceptance of personal responsibility.

In verse 13, the woman follows the model just set by her husband, the woman admits I ate, but attempts to shift full blame elsewhere to the serpent. There is not repentance, no asking for forgiveness.

Which have you found more useful: to fixate on Satan’s role in tempting you or to ignore his role altogether? Or does the key lie somewhere between those extremes? Why?

Judgement -

Genesis 3:14–17 NRSV

The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” And to the man he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

In verse 14, we see that God knew what had taken place earlier at the tree; God does not question the serpent. If the questioning of the two humans indicates opportunities to repent, we see no such opportunity being offered to the tempter. The Lord merely passes judgment and declares the penalty.

In verse 15, the pronouncement is given directly to the serpent, in three parts. First, there is a promise of enmity - fear and loathing - between the woman and her offspring. Second, the coming Saviour will strike the head of the serpent with some kind of blow. Third, the heel will be struck - the coming Messiah will be wounded by Satan’s efforts, but not defeated. He will experience death, but not remain dead.

What scripture do you turn to when wrestling with temptation?

In verse 16, the pronouncements continue, now with regard to difficulties that lie in the future of the woman in particular and that of women in general. Childbearing and childbirth will become unpleasant and painful, something all mothers today can verify.

Furthermore, the woman will also be tied to her husband in ways that are not always joyful. She will fulfill her desire by marriage, but will also have a new master who will rule over her. However, the pronouncement to Adam is the strongest and longest of all. First, God states the basis for his judgement. Although the temptation had come through his wife, he still bore the responsibility for his sin.

As a consequence, the man will no longer have access to the blessed, perfect fertility of the garden. He will now have to scratch out a living from ground that is in some way cursed. Life will be difficult and tenuous.

Banishment -

Genesis 3:20–24 NRSV

The man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living. And the Lord God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife, and clothed them. Then the Lord God said, “See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.

Here we see the story ends with some final arrangements. The woman needs a name, Adam gives her a hopeful name, one based on the word for living. Adam understands that Eve will produce babies and multiply the number of humans. Then garments of skin provided by God replace the flimsy and temporary fig-leaf apparel. God knows that Adam and Eve will need more than mere coverings for their nakedness, once outside the garden. Even here we see the mercy of God - preparing them for the ensuing expulsion from the garden.

Things have now changed, and sin has caused a loss of innocence for the man and his companion. God foresees that Adam has become like one of us. The expulsion is pronounced - to lose access to the tree of life signs the death warrant of Adam and Eve. Instead of living forever, they will age and eventually die.

The Lord takes extraordinary measures to prevent contact with the precious tree of life, posting a guard of heavenly beings known as cherubim. Although stated as guarding the east side of the Garden of Eden, the implication is that the cherubim prevent any approach to the special tree.

Did Adam and Eve wrestle with dark desires before they made the first sinful decision in history? We don’t know. But we know all too well that we do. We would do well to question our assumptions and run our expectations by trusted people who will tell us the truth. Otherwise, like Adam and Eve, we can get caught up in a type of self-deception and blame-shifting that have life-long consequences.

What steps can you take to help keep sin out of your church?

Conclusion

The actions of the first couple are archetypal, a pattern repeated many time in the Bible. An opportunity to violate God’s commands seems a goof thing (temptation), the violation occurs with short-term pleasure (sin), then the consequences of breaking God’s laws (punishment) bring regret (repentance). The ideal is, of course, not to sin in the first place. But we do win. And when we do, we have a choice to make: let shame lead to repentance, or let shame become blame.

Prayer

Lord God, you know our pride, arrogance, sinfulness, and self-centeredness; but you still love us with your perfect love. Such love is more than we can comprehend, but we fall on our knees in gratitude and obedience. We offer this prayer in the name of the Saviour, Christ Jesus, your Son and our Lord. Amen.

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